Baby on Board
by LivingInADream95
Summary: What would happen is Kate found out she was pregnant? Will a baby strengthen their relationship, or cause it to come crumbling down around them? Castle/Beckett
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I apologize if this story is a little rough, I'm new to Castle fandom. If you have any comments please review. I'd love to hear what you think and find out whether or not you guys would like me to continue this story. Sharkbaito8 as promised, this story is for you.**

**Chapter 1:**

As Kate stared down at the pregnancy test she couldn't believe her eyes. She had taken three pregnancy tests before she was willing to believe the result. Two pink bars. Those two bars had the power to change everything. Those two little pink bars meant that Kate was pregnant. She knew the tests had to be right. She was having all the symptoms women usually had this early in their pregnancy and she hadn't had her period in over two months. She knew this was the only explanation. There was no denying it, Kate was definitely pregnant.

She sat alone in her bathroom trying to wrap her mind around the revelation. She couldn't believe it had happened. She didn't know how it had happened. She and Castle practiced safe sex, this should not have happened. She knew logically what had happened, the condom broke. She also knew just how statistically unlikely that was. Her being pregnant right now was a complete fluke. But that's not what mattered now, what mattered was that she was pregnant and she had to tell Castle.

Kate had no idea how Castle would react when she told him. He already had a daughter, Lexi. He'd done the father thing, his daughter was grown now. She didn't think he'd want to go through it all again. He had always said he didn't want another child. Did he really mean that? He was already so settled in his life, his lifestyle, would he be willing to change all of that? Would he be able to welcome a new baby into this world, into his world? What if he didn't want to be in the baby's life? Kate didn't know what she would do if he pushed her away. She didn't think she'd be able to do this alone. She wasn't even sure she was cut out to be a mother. She didn't know the first thing about raising a child. She was an orphaned homicide detective for crying out loud. What would she know about motherhood? She had no idea what she was going to do, but she knew the first thing she had to do was tell Castle. Which wasn't as easy as it sounded. She couldn't think about that right now.

These thoughts were quickly becoming too much for Kate to handle. She remained in her bathroom for the next hour, crying her eyes out. Completely overcome with fear and uncertainty of how Castle would react.

After a good solid hour of weeping, Kate had managed to calm herself down substantially. She was able to regain her composure finally. She got up off the bathroom floor and walked over to the sink. She grimaced when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Makeup streaked, bags under her eyes, puffy and flushed cheeks; she looked wretched.

She cleaned herself up and headed out to her living room where her dog Bentley eagerly came over to greet her. Kate smiled as she patted Bentley obligingly. He sat at her side and wagged his tale contentedly. The bright side to owning a dog was that he was always able to cheer her up.

Kate and Castle had run into Bentley on a case a few years back, and she had loved him from the start. She couldn't give him up, so she had decided to adopt him. It started out as shared custody with Castle, but soon Bentley became hers alone. Castle saw him when he came over, but Bentley was never at Castle's if Kate was not.

She knew she couldn't hide in her apartment forever, at some point she would have to act like and adult and face the music. She was going to have to tell Castle at some point, and she knew it was better to do it sooner rather than later. It wouldn't be long before she started showing after all. Castle wasn't an idiot, it wouldn't take him long to figure out what was going on. She wasn't going to be able to hide this. He was going to find out and he had the right to.

Kate dialed Castle's number slowly, breathing deeply in an attempt to calm herself down. She didn't want to sound shaken on the phone. She had dialed his number several times now, chickening out at the last second every time. This time however, she stuck it out.

"Castle," came the familiar voice on the other end of the line.

"It's Kate," she said shakily. _Dammit_. She had to pull herself together. She cleared her throat and continued, "Can you come over? We need to talk."

"Is everything okay, Katie Bear? You sound distraught," he said, worry evident in his tone.

"We can't talk about this over the phone, Castle. Can you just please come over? This is important," Kate was getting impatient.

She could hear him moving around his apartment as he spoke, "Sure thing. I'll be over in a few. Whatever it is, we'll get through it Bear. We always do."

He hung up. Kate sat on the couch, idly stroking Bentley as she anxiously waited for Castle. She wished his words had brought some reassurance, but they hadn't eased her worry in the slightest.

Fifteen minutes later there was a knock on her door. Kate got up and slowly walked over to the door. She was growing increasingly nervous and shaky the closer she got to the door. She wasn't ready to lose Castle. She didn't think she'd be able to survive that.

She opened the door slowly. Castle quickly stepped inside. He took one look at her and could see just how upset she was. He pulled her into a tight embrace. After a few minutes he pulled back enough to look at her. She was crying.

He gently wiped a tear from her cheek as he softly asked, "What's wrong Katie Bear? I've never seen you so upset. Come on, let's sit on the couch. We can talk there."

He placed his hand on her lower back and guided her over to the couch. They sat at opposite ends of the couch, Castle could see she needed her distance. He sat there and waited patiently for her to tell him what was wrong.

She looked down at her hands, still crying softly. After a few agonizingly silent moments she looked up at him. The look of pain and worry in her eyes broke Castle's heart. He so desperately wanted to hold her and tell her everything was going to be alright, but he knew he couldn't. She had something she needed to tell him and he knew she wouldn't let him near her until she got whatever it was off of her chest. He knew her well enough to know she struggled with intimacy. She didn't like feeling vulnerable. She didn't like seeming weak. Castle knew this, so he wouldn't push.

Kate took a deep breath before stammering the news, "Castle… I… I'm pregnant."

Her sobbing worsened and she couldn't bear to look at him. She was too afraid of what she might see.

Castle couldn't hold back anymore. He slid over to her side of the couch and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her protectively. He stroked her back soothingly and used his free hand to life her chin, gently forcing her to look him in the eyes. He closed the distance between them and kissed her passionately.

"So does this mean you're not mad?" Kate asked breathlessly.

"Mad? Katie of course I'm not mad. What could be better than starting a family with the woman you love?" Castle said with a smile.

Kate's heart warmed at his confession. She knew he loved her, but this was the first time he had actually said those three glorious words.

Kate smiled, "I love you Richard Castle."

He leaned in to give her another kiss. They spent the rest of the day in their own little bubble. They forgot about the rest of the world for the day. Today was about them. Everything else could wait.

Kate didn't know what the future had in store, but what she did know was the one thing that truly mattered… Castle was going to be in it with her. That's all she needed.

With that in mind, she snuggled closer to Castle and drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Sorry guys, I know this was a REALLY long wait. I had every intention of updating this story sooner, but I got busy and then I had writer's block. I know, I know, I'm making excuses. I promise I will try to be better from now on. I will try to keep the ideas flowing. I don't want to be that person who everyone hates because she abandoned her story. I know it's short, but I really wanted to get something out to you guys. Sorry about any mistakes, I wanted to get this out tonight. If you have any ideas or comments, PLEASE review. It would be greatly appreciated. I apologize if my writing is a little rough, I haven't written in a while. Okay, enough with this excessively long author's note. I hope you like the chapter.**

**Chapter 2:**

Kate woke up the next morning to Castle's arm wrapped protectively around her. For a moment, she felt safe. For those few short minutes she was able to shut the world out. But like most good things in Kate's life, the moment didn't last. She started replaying yesterday's events over in her head. Her anxiety started to build. She was pregnant. Kate didn't know how to be a mother. She wasn't ready for this. She couldn't do it. She just couldn't.

Kate couldn't stay in that bed any longer. Couldn't stay wrapped up in his arms. What was comforting mere moments ago now felt suffocating. She had to get out of this room. Out of the apartment all together. Kate decided she'd go for a jog. Exercise always helped clear her mind.

She ran for an hour, pushing herself beyond her limits. By the time she got home she was exhausted. The run hadn't done much to clear her mind, but the endorphins were working to ease her anxiety. She plugged her iPod into the charged and headed to the bathroom for a shower.

Kate waited for the water to reach the warmth she craved before stepping in. She let the water run over her, easing her tension. As she was lathering her hair, she heard the door click open, then shut. Within moments Castle had joined her in the shower. He stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her and resting his head between her shoulder blades.

They stood there in silence for a few seconds before Castle spoke softly, "Good morning beautiful. How'd you sleep?"

Kate smiled at the endearment. Even in her times of worry, Castle could always make her smile. "Mmm, okay. How about you?"

"Like a baby," he said with a grin.

The remainder of the shower was spent in relative silence. Castle seemed to sense her tension, so he didn't make a move. He tried to keep things sweet and innocent. Helping her wash-up, a few chaste kisses on her neck and between her shoulder blades. Nothing too racy.

After their shower, they dry off and head out to the living room. Kate starts heading for the kitchen, but before she gets very far Castle stops her by gently placing a hand on her shoulder.

She turns to look at him questioningly. Castle smiles, "You sit, I'll make us some coffee."

Kate nods in response and mumbles, "Coffee to please."

Castle chuckles lightly, no matter how upset Kate may be, she never passes up on caffeine. Everyone has their vices. With that in mind, Castle sets out to make them breakfast and get Kate her caffeine fix.

Fifteen minutes later, Castle heads back out to the living room, coffee and food in hand. He stops abruptly when he sees the look on Kate's face, spilling a little coffee on himself. He doesn't really notice the coffee though, he's more focused on the Kate's look of distress.

Castle approaches her slowly, giving her time to notice his presence. "What's wrong Katie Bear?" Castle asks concerned.

It takes her a few seconds to come out of her thoughts, but when she does, she glares at him. "Castle, how many times do I have to tell you, don't call me that. I'm not a child. I'm a cop for crying out loud."

Castle stepped back slightly, stricken by her sudden hostility. "I'm sorry, I just… You looked so upset… I'm worried about you Kate," he stammered.

Kate studied him for a few moments, taking in his response. She realized she was being harsh and she felt badly about it. She knew it wasn't his fault, but a small part of her blamed him for this. She couldn't help but think that if it wasn't for him, she wouldn't be in this situation to begin with.

She sighed, defeated. "I'm sorry, I've just got a lot on my mind." Kate looked down at her hands self-consciously, nervous about what she was about to say.

"Castle, I don't know if I can do this," she admitted softly. The whisper was almost inaudible. If Castle hadn't have been listening so closely, he would have missed it.

He sat down beside her, placing a hand on her thigh, squeezing lightly. "I know this is a lot to take in, but we'll get through this. You're going to be a great mother Kate. And besides, it's not like you're alone in this. I'll be right here with you every step of the way." Castle said reassuringly.

"And you know, I do have a little experience when it comes to raising a child," he added with a wink.

Kate smiled at him and leaned into him. He was right, she wasn't alone. As scary as this experience was going to be, she knew she'd have him. She knew she had lucked out with him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

**AN: I've been getting a lot of complaints about the cup of coffee from last chapter, so I figured I'd clear the air. I know caffeine can be bad for babies, but doctors say that one cup of coffee a day will not effect the baby. Kate having a cup of coffee in the morning isn't going to do the baby any harm. But I did intend to phase the caffeine out anyways. I'm sorry if the crime scene stuff is a little rough. This is my first time writing crime. I'm used to writing romance, so please bear with me. **

When Kate woke up Monday morning she was elated at the prospect of going back to work. She was eager to throw herself into a new case and forget about the worries of being pregnant for a little while. Kate knew she and Castle would find a way to make things work, but that knowledge did little to ease her stress. There was still so much left to figure out. That's why she was happy to get away from it all for a while.

That's one thing Kate loved about her job. As a cop, it was easy to immerse yourself in your work. When she was working a case it was as if nothing else existed. The rest of her life was somewhere off in the background.

It was this dedication to the job that made Kate the detective she was today. She always put the job first. Kate knew that this would be a bad thing a few months down the road when she had a baby to take care of, but for now it served as a nice release.

The only problem with this was that she and Castle were partners. She knew deep down she wouldn't be able to get the pregnancy off of her mind as much as she'd like. But she was determined to give it her best shot. With that in mind Kate headed off for her morning run.

When she got back Castle was already awake and making himself busy in the kitchen. Kate decided to sneak a shower in before heading in to see him. Even after everything they've been through, Kate still felt self-conscious after a run. She didn't want him to see her all sweaty and with her hair a mess. She knew that was a little ironic considering they slept together every night, but this was different.

Kate showered and dressed quickly. She didn't want to keep Castle waiting. As much as she loathed to admit it, she missed him already. She still couldn't believe how big of a part of her life he had become. Kate never thought she would rely on someone other than herself. She didn't think she could love someone. She didn't know she had it in her to be in a serious relationship.

When Kate walked into the kitchen Castle was already sitting at the table reading the morning paper. He had breakfast ready on the table and had replaced her usual cup of coffee with a glass of orange juice. Kate smiled when she spotted this, knowing he did it out of concern for the baby's wellbeing. Kate could get used to this.

Castle looked up from the paper when he heard her walk in.

"Good morning beautiful. How was your run?"

"Morning. My run was good, as usual," she said with a smile. "Mmm breakfast smells great."

Castle couldn't help but chuckle. "You won't be saying that anymore once the morning sickness starts," he mused.

Kate sat down, giving him a wry smile.

They chatted idly as they ate breakfast then Kate got a call about a case, so they headed out to the crime scene.

The crime scene was inside an old abandoned factory, currently flanked by cops. Kate pulled up behind the cop cars and headed over to Ryan and Esposito who were already on the scene.

"What are we dealing with today boys?" Castle asked enthusiastically.

Sometimes Castle was like a little kid in a toy store when it came to crime scenes. Kate chalked it up to being a mystery writer. She figured it was in the job description.

Esposito was the one to answer, "Vic looks to be about twelve. Looks like a body dump. She doesn't have any I.D. on her, so Ryan and I are heading back to check Missing Persons. I'll let you know what we find."

"Thanks Espo." Kate turned her attention towards Castle, "Ready to go in?"

Castle smiled, intrigue evident on his face, "When am I not?"

With that, they headed into the factory to see what evidence they could find.

Esposito had been right, it was definitely a body dump. There were no traces of blood or signs of fowl play anywhere in the factory. There's no way the girl could have been killed here.

The cause of death looks to be asphyxiation. The vic's lips are blue and there are signs of a struggle. Kate notices that the girl's wrists are raw, as though she had been tied up and had struggled. Kate examined her closely, looking for any hairs or fibers that might help I.D. the killer.

Just when she thought she struck out, Kate found a piece of blue fabric on the victim's shirt. It wasn't much, but sometimes it made all the difference.

Castle had busied himself with searching the factory. He on the other hand did strike out. They really didn't have much to go on right now. They needed to I.D. the vic and find the crime scene if they were going to have any hope of solving this case.

For now they'd head back to the station and see what Ryan and Esposito had found out. Hopefully the vic's parents have filled a missing person's report. The sooner the girl can be I. , the better.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Look at me go, two chapters in two days. The ideas have just been flowing lately. Let's hope it stays that way ;)**

**Chapter 4:**

Castle and Kate arrived to find Esposito and Ryan goofing off as per usual. In their line of work you needed to goof off every now and then to maintain your sanity. Kate had learned years ago that she couldn't try to make personal connections with the victims. She felt bad for them of course, but she couldn't very well grieve for them all. No cop could. For them, death was just a part of the job. The same was true for doctors and paramedics. Any job where death was a regular occurrence. They had all learned to treat it as such, a part of the job. It was a skill developed over time. Kate looked at it as turning off your emotions for the day.

That being said, Ryan and Esposito seemed to goof off more than most. Add Castle into the mix and you had a truly stressful day. The men in Kate's life were going to give her gray hair, but given the chance she wouldn't trade them for the world. They were her family. The four of them had each others backs. They always had, and Kate knew they always would. She also knew she'd have to tell them about her pregnancy sooner rather than later, but that was a worry for another day. Today was about that little girl from the factory.

"Please tell me you found something," Kate said frustrated.

She always had a hard time when the victim was a child. Especially now.

Ryan was the one to respond, "The vic's name is Marley Collins. Her mother filed a missing person's report a week ago."

"So it was most likely a child abduction," Castle mused.

"Did you get an address?" Kate asked.

This time Esposito was the one to answer, "Yeah, the mother lives at 114 Worthington."

"Okay thanks. Castle and I will go talk to her. You two should keep an eye on Missing Person's. If Castle's right, he's likely to strike again."

"I'll let you know if we find anything," Esposito promised.

The mother's house was in a nice suburb. It was modest and well kept. It looked like a nice place to raise a family, but Kate knew every area had its dangers.

They got out of the car and walked up to the door. Castle rang the bell. They didn't have to wait long before the distressed woman answered the door.

"Are you Mrs. Collins?" Kate asked.

The woman sniffled then stammered her reply, "Yes. Are you two… are you here about Marley?"

Kate nodded, "Yes. I'm detective Beckett and this is my partner Richard Castle. We're here to ask you a few questions about your daughter."

"May we come in?" Castle asked politely.

The woman stepped aside defeated, letting them inside. She led them into the living room and motioned toward the couch. They both sat on the couch, she sat on the chair across.

"Did… did you…" She stopped to take a shaky breath then continued, "Did you find my daughter?"

"I'm sorry Mrs. Collins. We found your daughter this morning," Kate said honestly.

The woman finally let out all of the anguish she had been trying to contain. She sobbed hysterically for the next fifteen minutes or so. Castle rested a hand on her knee and tried to calm her down. Eventually she was able to calm herself and Kate went back to business.

"Mrs. Collins, I know this is hard, but we have to ask you a few questions."

She just sobbed looking down at her hands and nodded.

Kate took a deep breath and began, "Do you or your daughter have any enemies? Anyone who would want to hurt her?"

The woman looked at Kate with a baffled look. "Of course not. Who would want to harm an innocent child?" She asked incredulously.

Castle glanced over at Kate and saw the pain written all over her face. He knew how hard this must be on her right now, so he decided to take over the questioning.

"What about her father? What is he like? Any history of violence?" Castle asked.

"Tom is dead," she said simply.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Collins."

By the time they had finished their questioning, they still had no leads. This case was going to be more difficult than Castle had expected. He hoped Ryan and Esposito had had better luck.

The ride back to the station was quieter than usual. Kate had let Castle drive while she sat in the passenger seat looking a million miles away. Castle was getting worried about her. He decided to make a stop at the nearest diner. They could use the break to refuel.

Kate looked up when they pulled into the parking lot of a local diner and Castle turned off the engine.

"What are we doing here? We need to get back to the station," Kate said in exasperation.

"I called Esposito on the way over and let him know we'd be a little late. He said to take our time, they were still looking into things. Besides, it's lunch time and you have to eat," he defended.

Kate gave in, too emotionally drained to put up a fight. She didn't expect the case to hit her so hard. These pregnancy hormones were going to take some getting used to.

They head inside and Castle picks a booth near the back, away from the window. He learnt long ago that you can never be too careful when you're associated with this line of work.

The waitress came over shortly after they sat down to take their order. She looked concerned when she caught a glimpse of Kate.

"Oh hunny looks like you're having a rough day. Let me get you a cup of coffee on the house," the waitress said sweetly.

Kate looked up, slightly startled by the concern in the woman's voice, and said, "Oh no thanks. I probably shouldn't be drinking coffee."

The waitress seemed to catch on. "Alright hun, I'll make it a decaf instead," she said with a wink.

When the waitress came back they ordered their food and sat in silence. Kate had drifted into dreamland again.

Castle watched her for a while with concern before finally speaking. "Kate, is everything alright? You seem upset."

She just looked at him with that kicked puppy looked she got when she was upset about a case.

Castle reached his hand out to place on top of hers reassuringly and said, "We'll find him Kate. We'll catch the son of a bitch who did this. We always do."

Kate nodded and squeezed his hand, grateful to have him here with her. He always knew what to say.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: I know it's short (they always are), but I covered quite a bit in this chapter. I don't like putting too much into one chapter. Besides, shorter chapters mean quicker updates. I'm finally getting into this story. Hope you like it. As always, reviews are welcome and appreciated.**

**Chapter 5:**

When they got back to the precinct the guys were still busy looking for any possible connections or leads, so Kate decided to go see what Lanie was able to find. Kate wasn't surprised when she saw Castle headed towards the guys. Which was probably for the best, he proved very helpful when it came to finding a lead out of what seemed like nothing.

Kate headed down to the basement to check in with Lanie.

When she got there she was greeted with the ever putrid smell of the autopsy room. Kate hated coming down here. She didn't understand how anyone could grow accustomed to the scent of decay and feel comfortable surrounded by a bunch of dead people. Kate then realized that most people probably had similar feelings regarding her occupation. She smiled to herself.

"Hey Lanie. Please tell me you found something," Kate said dejectedly.

"Well I found traces of chloroform, which isn't surprising in a case like this. I also found traces of dirt on her shoes and underneath her nails. The results came back a few minutes ago, I was just about to check them," Lanie said, her tone hopeful.

Kate watched her silently, awaiting the results.

"Looks like this is the fertilizer they use in the gardens at Central Park. They have a patent on this fertilizer," Lanie explained.

"Okay, so that means our killer likely took Marley from Central Park. It's not much, but it's a start. Thanks Lanie. Let me know if you find anything else out."

Kate turned to leave, but Lanie stopped her before she got the chance.

"Kate, what's wrong? You haven't been acting like yourself lately. I wasn't going to push it by saying anything, but seeing the way this case is weighing on you… I couldn't not say something," Lanie said, her tone worried.

Kate looked down, not ready to make eye contact. She knew people would notice eventually, after all she did spend most of her time with them, but she didn't expect anyone to bring it up so soon. Kate didn't know how to tell her, but she didn't want to lie to Lanie. Lanie was one of her best friends, they told each other everything. Kate didn't really understand why she was so nervous to tell her, she always came to Lanie for advice on Castle. This wasn't so different.

Lanie placed a hand on Kate's arm reassuringly.

Kate took a deep breath and looked up at Lanie. Well this was it. The moment of truth. Her secret would no longer be a secret.

"Lanie… I'm pregnant," Kate said quietly.

Lanie let out a squeal and wrapped her best friend up in her arms.

"Oh Sweetie, that's great! I'm so happy for you," she said excitedly.

Kate smiled, feeling her friend's joy becoming contagious. She was finally starting to realize just how much of a blessing this all was.

"Does Castle know yet? How did he take it?" Lanie asked, still joyful about the news.

"Yeah, Castle knows. I told him about it a few days ago. He's been amazing about it. He was so happy. Whenever I start feeling anxious about the pregnancy, he knows just what to say or do to make me feel better. I'm lucky to have him. Castle is going to make a great father… Well he already is a great father, but you know what I mean," Kate rambled.

Kate never rambled. She was so swept up in the moment, she didn't even realize she was doing it until Lanie started to chuckle.

Kate smiled, "Sorry, I was rambling wasn't I?"

"Yeah, but I don't mind. It's been a while since I've seen you so happy."

Kate thought about this for a moment.

"You're right. I think I let myself get too caught up in my work sometimes. But that's all going to change soon."

Kate and Lanie gossiped over the pregnancy for a while, until Kate glanced at her watch and realized how long she'd been down in autopsy.

"I should really get back upstairs and see if the guys found anything. Thanks for everything Lanie," Kate said with a genuine smile.

"Anytime, Kate."

When Kate got back upstairs Castle, Ryan, and Esposito were all standing around in the break room chatting over coffee.

They all looked up when Kate walked in, their conversation coming to an abrupt stop.

"Am I interrupting something?" Kate asked awkwardly, glancing from one man to the next.

"Nope, nothing. We were just chatting," Esposito replied.

Kate could tell there was something they weren't telling her, but she didn't push the subject any further. They had a case to solve.

"The autopsy results may have given us a lead. It's not much of one, but it's a place to start at least. It seems the vic was taken from Central Park. Probably near one of the gardens." Kate explained.

"Well that narrows it down to over 800 acres," Castle said sarcastically.

Kate narrowed her eyes at him, not appreciating his sarcasm.

"Were you able to find anything?" Kate asked, turning her attention back to her fellow detectives.

"There have been multiple missing persons filed for children in the Manhattan area in the past few months," Ryan said.

"We think there might be a connection. We think we're dealing with a serial killer. One who goes after children under the age of thirteen." Castle explained.

"Have police found any other victims in the area that could be related?" Kate asked, considering their theory.

This time it was Esposito who spoke, "There was one two weeks ago. We're waiting for them to send us the autopsy report as we speak."

"Okay, well I'll be at my desk," Kate said, leaving the room.

She figured the boys would want to continue their conversation, and she wanted some time alone to consider their new lead.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Look at me go, still updating daily. This is what happens when I have a long weekend I guess. The updates won't always be this regular, but I promise not to abandon you all. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed or put this story on their alerts. You make my day :) **

**Chapter 6:**

The three men came over to Kate's desk just as she was getting off the phone. She had just gotten a call about another murder. This one was in another abandoned building in the Manhattan area. Kate was starting to thing they were finally on to something. She could definitely see a connection between these two murders. Hopefully the evidence would prove that. Hopefully there was more evidence this time. Kate was getting tired of running on nothing. They needed a solid lead on this before more children got hurt.

"Who was that?" Castle asked.

"NYPD, there's been another murder. Looks like it was done by our killer," Kate replied.

"Another kid?" Castle asked sadly.

"Mhmm," was all Kate said,

She and Castle grabbed their stuff and headed over to their second crime scene of the day. Kate was exhausted. They should be getting off work by now, but Kate wanted to handle this one herself. She didn't trust leaving it to someone who wasn't familiar with the case. After they were done at the crime scene, they could go home for the night.

Kate could sense Castle's eyes on her. She tried to stay focused on the road, but it was hard to ignore him staring at her.

"What's on your mind Castle," she asked.

"Maybe we should let someone else take this one. You've had a long day," he said with concern in his voice.

"I can handle it Castle. I've had long days before." She paused to look at him quickly and placed a hand on his thigh before continuing, "I just want to do this. We can go home once we're done there, but I just can't leave it to someone else. I just can't."

Castle noticed the single tear fall down her cheek. He wiped it away gently with the pad of his thumb and said, "Okay."

It was funny how such a simple gesture could hold so much love and meaning in it.

When they got to the crime scene Kate took a few moments to steel herself before going in. After a few deep breaths and an internal pep talk, Kate was ready to go inside. She stepped out of the vehicle and Castle followed suit. They headed in to see what was waiting for them this time.

Castle brushed his hand against hers as a discrete gesture of affection. Kate smiled.

Kate was not expecting the volatile smell of decay in the air as they walked in. The sudden shock of the scent nearly made her throw up. At first she thought it was because of the pregnancy, but when she saw Castle react the same way she knew it was just the sudden smell itself.

Lanie was already at the crime scene. She was crouched down examining the body when they approached.

"Ugh how long has it been since time of death?" Castle asked, fanning the air by his nose, trying to get rid of the stink.

"Looks like he's been dead two or three days now, but I won't know for sure until I get him back to autopsy," Lanie replied matter-of-factly.

Kate remained silent, taking in the scene before speaking. This time the victim was a little boy. He looked to be about ten years old. His clothes were torn and he was covered in blood. He was badly bruised. It looked like whoever the killer was beat the poor boy to death. After all these years working as a homicide detective, Kate still couldn't believe how sick some people were. It was almost as if this guy killed for the thrill of killing. Which maybe he did. Kate shuddered at that thought.

"Do we know cause of death?" Kate finally asked.

"From the looks of it, I'd say internal bleeding. Looks like the poor guy was beat to death." Lanie said sadly.

Kate sighed. "How could somebody do that to a child," she mused aloud.

Castle and Lanie both looked at her sympathetically. They knew she was worried about her unborn child. They couldn't blame her. Just look at the world he or she would be brought up in. Their didn't seem to be any justice in the world anymore.

They remained at crime scene for another forty five minutes or so, checking in from top to bottom for evidence. They found a wallet and noticed that the building had a surveillance camera outside. They sent the wallet back to the precinct to be examined and ordered for the surveillance footage to be sent over as well. Now that they were done at the crime scene, they could finally head home for the night.

The drive back to Kate's apartment was fairly quiet. They were both tired from a long day. Kate just wanted to go home, eat a late dinner, unwind with Castle for a little while, then go to sleep. She'd go to sleep right away if she could, but she knew that wasn't a feasible option.

They pulled into the parking garage of Kate's apartment building and headed inside.

"I think I'm going to go for a quick shower," Kate said with a yawn.

"Okay, I'll get started on supper. I'll take my shower after," Castle replied.

Kate nodded and headed towards the bathroom. Castle went into the kitchen to prepare dinner.

It was already 7:30, so he didn't want to make anything heavy or time consuming. He settled for the classic soup and sandwiches. Always good after a tough day, he mused.

Kate was already making her way into the kitchen when Castle was taking the soup off of the stove.

"Perfect timing," he said, turning to smile at her.

Kate returned the smile and said, "Mmm, smells delicious."

She sat down at the table and Castle brought over their food then took a seat. They chatted idly about the day while they ate their meal. Kate told him about Lanie. Talking about the pregnancy put Castle in an over the moon mood. He was really looking forward to being a father again. He missed having a child in the house.

After supper they went to relax in the living room for a while. Bentley was eager to receive their attention. He sat between them on the couch, wagging his tail a mile a minute. Bentley was always happiest when Kate and Castle were both home. After some attention though, he went off to his bed to sleep.

Lately Castle had been spending every night at Kate's. He barely went home anymore, not that Kate was complaining. She was glad to have him around. A part of her wanted to ask Castle to move in, but another part of her wasn't sure she was ready for that. She didn't understand why she was so nervous about it. They were around each other all the time as it was, this really wouldn't be much of a change. But Kate couldn't help feeling like it was. She still had trouble opening up to people, Castle included. She was so used to it being just her, she was afraid to let herself depend on someone else. Afraid that if he knew her too well he might leave.

Castle noticed that Kate was lost in thought again. That was happening a lot today. He hated seeing her so stressed, so tense.

"How about we head to the bedroom. I can give you a massage, help you relax before bed," Castle said lovingly.

One look into those caring eyes of his, and all of Kate's fears melted away. She knew he loved her, now she just had to make that final leap of faith and trust that he would catch her.

"Castle, I think we should move in together," she said.

Castle gave her the broadest smile she'd seen in a long time and pulled her into a hug. He placed a hand under her chin and gently raised her face to his, kissing her passionately.

"Is that a yes?" she asked breathlessly, her smile matching his.

Castle chuckled, "Of course that's a yes!"


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Two chapter in one day… You're all going to get sick of me at this rate. I know this one's shorter than most, but I felt like it would be best left like this. I covered a lot of important information in this chapter already and I didn't want to take away from that by adding another scene. Hope you like it. As always, reviews are welcome and appreciated.**

**Chapter 7:**

Tuesday morning started out like every morning, wake up next to Castle, jog, shower, eat breakfast, head to work. Kate took comfort in the routine, even if she knew it would soon change. She was okay with that. Kate knew she would have Castle and a beautiful baby to call her own, what more could she possibly ask for in life.

However, Kate's dreamy daze started to come to a halt the closer they got to the precinct. The events of yesterday stated coming back to her. Replaying themselves in her head. The revulsion she felt at what the killer was doing to these innocent children. The determination to catch this guy. They all brought Kate back to reality.

Kate now realized she and Castle hadn't spoken at all on the drive to the station. She glanced over at him curiously before focusing her eyes back on the road and asking him what was on his mind.

Castle shook his head, clearing his head. "Huh? Oh I was thinking about us. And the baby," he said sheepishly.

He knew the baby had been a touchy subject for Kate in the beginning and he was still hesitant to bring it up. He knew she was warming up to the pregnancy, but he didn't want to push.

If Castle hadn't been watching Kate intently after his confession, he would have missed the faint smile she gave,

"Do you think our two cases are connected?" Kate asked, changing the subject.

As happy as Kate was to hear Castle say things like that to her, she still wasn't comfortable responding to them.

"I think they're too similar not to be," he began.

Kate nodded in response, encouraging him to continue.

Castle started listing the similarities between the two cases, "Both victims were children. Both were found in the Manhattan area. There were traces of dirt under the boy's fingernails, likely coming from the same source as the dirt found under Marley's."

"I think you're right, but something seems off about it. I mean both victims were dumped in different places, aside from both being children, they appear to have nothing in common, and they had very different CODs," Kate said.

By now they were sitting in the parking garage by the precinct. Neither of them making a move to get out. The car was as good a place as any to discuss the case. At least there weren't going to be any interruptions in here.

Castle took a few moments to think over Kate's analysis of the two cases. He hadn't really considered the differences until now. To him the cases seemed too similar to not be connected, but Kate was right; there were some inconsistencies.

Castle being the mystery writer he was, was starting to draw a connection between the two. He was starting to see the story in his head. It was this creative thought process that made him such an asset as an honorary detective.

Detectives tended to just look at the facts. They saw everything at face value. Writers however saw the deeper or hidden meaning in things. Castle was always reading between the lines, drawing connections where there didn't seem to be one. He was truly talented when it came to writing stories and this talent often helped them solve the case.

"Well," Castle started. "the two different body dumps are likely to be from one of two options. Option 1: our killer is dumping the bodies at random locations to throw us off or to avoid suspicion, or Option 2: the locations have a connection that we're not seeing. Not yet anyways."

Kate nodded, considering his theory. "Okay," she said. "You're probably right about that. If he's doing body dumps he would be stupid to do them at the same spot every time. But how do you explain the different CODs and the fact that the victims really don't have all that much in common?"

"You're right, serial killers tend to have a type, but maybe his type is children. Maybe that's as specific a type as he needs. It's no different than a killer choosing blonde victims. Sometimes they type is very broad."

Castle paused to let Kate absorb the information before continuing, "As for the different cause of death for each victim, I'm getting the feeling that our killer is murdering these victims for the fun of killing. For killers, there's a certain high that goes along with the power of holding someone's life in his or her hands. Maybe this guy gets off on watching his victims die. I know it sounds far-fetched, but we've seen stranger things."

Kate was silent, trying to process the onslaught of information.

"I think you might be right," she said suddenly.

Kate got out of the car and started heading towards the parking garage exit. She had to tell the guys about this. They were finally getting somewhere in the case.

Castle got out of the car quickly and hurried to catch up to Kate. He didn't have to ask her why she was in such a hurry all of a sudden, he knew it was about the possible breakthrough in the case.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

Kate sat quietly on her desk with an amused look on her face as Castle wrote frantically on the dry erase board, trying to explain his theory to Ryan and Esposito. He always got so riled up when it came to a new story. Within minutes the board was full of fragmented stories and lines to connect the different ideas. There were even a few pictures to emphasize a point.

From the looks on her fellow detectives' faces, she would have to say they were having trouble following along. Kate couldn't blame them. She had been there when Castle was formulating this theory, and even she was having trouble keeping up.

After Castle had finished telling everyone his theory on the case, the room fell silent for a few minutes. Ryan was the first person to speak.

"I don't know. This sounds like it would make a great book, but I don't know that it's something that would really happen," he said cynically.

Castle looked like someone had just kicked his puppy. Kate took it upon herself to defend his ideas.

"I don't think it's that far fetched. He wouldn't be the first serial killer to get a thrill out of killing. That is part of why they do it after all. They do it to make themselves feel powerful. Is it really so unreasonable to think that this guy is the same?" Kate ranted.

Castle gave her a grateful smile, his eyes lingering on hers for a few seconds.

Esposito shook them out of their bubble when he spoke, "I agree with Kate. I bet he's just some sick bastard who gets his jollies killing children."

"Okay, let's say you're right about this," Ryan started, somewhat giving into the theory.. "Why would he be killing his victims in such different ways?"

"That's easy… He does it to keep things interesting. He gets a thrill out of killing them in different ways. He doesn't like order or routine. That's what sets this guy apart from most serial killers." Castle defended smugly.

They continued this debate for a good forty minutes before everyone was on the same page. Ryan could see the logic behind Castle's argument and backed down. It was really their only lead at this point, so they were best not to fight it.

They were able to I.D. the second vic by his fingerprints. They would ran his picture through Missing Persons, or ran his dental records, but he was too badly beaten for either of those to be a viable option.

The victim was a ten year old boy named Henry Schwartz. His parents lived in upper Manhattan. Again, Kate and Castle were the ones assigned to talk to the parents. Esposito and Ryan were left to investigate the evidence from last night's crime scene.

Kate and Castle were now walking up the Schwartz's driveway. Kate hated this part of the job most and now she was having to do it for the second time in two days.

As they stood outside the door taking a moment to ready themselves, Castle placed a reassuring hand on Kate's shoulder and said, "You can do this. We'll get through this together."

He squeezed her shoulder and gave her one last look of support, then knocked on the door firmly. He didn't want to prolong this any more than necessary. It was hard enough as it was.

A man in his late thirties answered the door.

"Mr. Schwartz?" Kate asked.

"Yes, are you two cops?" he replied.

Kate nodded and said, "I'm Detective Beckett, and this is my partner Richard Castle."

The man gave them a puzzled look as he put the pieces together in his mind.

"Richard Castle," he said. "Aren't you an author?"

Kate answered for him, being used to this question, "Yes, but he's been working with us for the past few years. He's a part of our team."

The man just stared at her.

"May we come in?" Kate asked, getting fed up with the situation.

"Oh, yes," he said, stepping aside.

They went to the living room as Mr. Schwartz went in search of his wife upstairs.

A few minutes later he returned with a woman who was clearly in a deep depression.

Kate took a deep breath and grasped Castle's hand briefly. That momentary touch gave her the courage she needed to get through another difficult talk.

They remained at the Schwartz household for nearly an hour. Much like Mrs. Collins, they were unable to provide any solid leads. It seemed their killer was very careful. He knew how to cover his tracks, but Kate knew that he would slip up eventually. When that day came, she would be there.

As they were driving back to the precinct, Castle's phone started to ring. He flipped open his phone and saw that it was Esposito calling.

"You're go for Castle," he said gleefully.

Esposito rolled his eyes. "Are you on your way back yet?" he asked. "We think we've identified the killer."

"What? Already? How?" Castle was firing out questions left and right. He was shocked they'd gone from no leads, to a solid suspect.

"We were able to get a clear enough view of him from the security camera footage, so we ran his picture through and we got a hit. I'll explain the rest when you get here." Esposito said, hanging up the phone.

Kate looked at Castle expectantly.

He smiled and said, "They may have just I. the killer"

Kate smiled broadly. "Looks like he's not as neat and tidy as we thought," she quipped.

Castle chuckled, "I guess not."

When they got back to the station Ryan and Esposito went over their events of the past hour and a half. They explained that the I.D.s in the wallet had been fakes, but the wallet hadn't been a complete bust. They had found a room key in the wallet. They had researched the room key and had sent cops over to the hotel. They knew he wouldn't be there, but better safe than sorry.

They had also found out that their suspect, Rico Sanchez had priors. He had started out small, petty theft, then he had gradually started to escalate. He was wanted for murder in several states. This man knew what he was doing. He wouldn't be easy to find. But luckily for them, he seemed to be off his game.

They had eyes all over the city. They would find him one way or another. Kate just hoped it would be before he had the chance to strike again.

**AN: So I was thinking, maybe next chapter should be a romantic evening / date? Or maybe I'll do a meet the parents chapter next? I think it's time to take a step back from the crime aspect for a little while. Any suggestions? Let me know what you think.**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: I was originally going to make this chapter longer and actually have them on their date, but then I had a brilliant idea for next chapter. They will have their special night, but it may not go as planned. Not that things ever do for them. **

**Caskett Lover Always, the promised drama will be coming up in the near future ;)**

**ShaKor here's the start to the promised romantic chapter.**

**Thank you everyone for your continued support. **

**Chapter 9:**

The next few weeks were relatively uneventful. The police were still trying to track down the serial killer, but it was now out of Castle and Kate's hands. They were back to business as usual.

That's not to say that they forgot about the case, but it was no longer on their mind all the time. Kate knew the likelihood of the cops finding this guy were slim to none, but she still held out hope. She had to.

Castle on the other hand had bigger things on his mind lately. He and Kate had moved in together nearly three weeks ago and things were going smoothly. Kate was now ten weeks pregnant and so far there hadn't been any complications with the pregnancy. Things with Kate were great. He loved having her around all of the time. That's why he was planning to propose to her tonight.

He had been thinking about proposing to her for some time now, but the events of the past few weeks had really cemented the idea in his head. He had made reservations for them tonight at the fanciest restaurant in the city. He had spent weeks picking out the perfect ring. He had meticulously planned the entire evening right down to the last detail. It was the writer in him. His perfectionism and attention to detail.

He'd toyed with many different ways to propose to Kate. He considered putting it in her dessert, or her drink, but had opted out of that plan when he realized what a choking hazard that was. He'd thought of making some elaborate grand gesture, but he knew that wasn't Kate's style. Kate was classy. She would want a more traditional proposal. That is why Castle had settled on his current plan.

After dinner, they were going to take a carriage ride through Central Park. That's when he would pop the question. He knew this was a little cheesy, but it was also classy and romantic. Just like Kate.

Castle had been a bundle of nerves all week. He was overwhelmed with excitement and anxiety all at the same time. No matter how much they loved each other, there was always that risk that Kate might say no and that thought terrified him.

It was Friday night and Kate was alone in their apartment getting ready for her romantic date with Castle. He had left to go "do something" shortly after they arrived home. His sudden departure had made Kate a little suspicious, but she had managed to push that to the back of her mind.

She was far to excited about their big dad to care about Castle's strangeness. She had overheard Castle planning bits and pieces of tonight over the week, and she had a pretty good idea she knew how tonight would end. If she wasn't mistaken, Castle was going to propose.

Kate was beside herself with anticipation and well, glee. She didn't usually feel like this, but Castle brought it out in her sometimes. She had been imagining how he might pop the question for days. It had become a major distraction. Enough so that Ryan and Esposito had noticed.

Yesterday they had cornered her in the break room and asked her what was going on. She hadn't been expecting the ambush and had no idea what to tell them other than the truth. She told them everything. The pregnancy, the moving in together, and finally, her suspicion that Castle was going to propose.

The guys had stood there with flabbergasted looks for a few minutes, trying to absorb all of the information. They had not been expecting this. Neither of them had expected Kate to say she was pregnant, let alone that Castle was going to propose. They weren't really sure what to expect, but this hadn't crossed their minds.

It took them a while, but after they wrapped their heads around the situation they both took turns hugging her and giving their congratulations.

Later that day she had went out to lunch with Lanie to tell her the good news and to thank her for keeping Kate's secret. She knew it must have been difficult for her to keep something like this from Esposito, who she had been dating for the past few months now.

They had shared a nice lunch full of gossip and girly goodness. It wasn't a typical Kate afternoon, but lately moments like this were starting to seem more normal. Maybe the pregnancy was bringing out her inner soccer mom, Kate mused with a chuckle. _Me a soccer mom? Yeah right._ She thought to herself.

Half an hour later, Kate was sitting at the island in the kitchen waiting for Castle to come home. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Kate got up and headed to the door, having no idea who it could be. She opened the door to none other than Castle himself.

He was standing there in a new tuxedo holding a dozen roses. He had the goofiest grin she had ever seen and it seemed to be contagious because she found herself making that same grin.

"These are for you beautiful," he said, extending the flowers to her.

Kate decided to play along. "They're lovely. Thank you. Do you want to come in for a moment while I find a vase to put them in?" she said, stepping aside to let him through.

He smiled again and walked in, passing her slowly. His hand grazed hers as he strode past. She felt a jolt of excitement at the brief physical contact. There was something very enticing about their little game.

Kate quickly realized she had been standing there with the door open for an extended length of time now. She closed the door and headed back to the kitchen to grab the vase she knew Castle had stored away.

When she came back Castle was sitting on the couch, Bentley at his feet. There was something about that familiar moment that tugged at Kate's heartstrings. Kate was only ten weeks pregnant, yet they already felt like a family. Kate was starting to realize there was more to family than blood. Castle was family. Hell, Ryan, Esposito, and Lanie were even family. Kate had made a pretty good family for herself. This realization made Kate feel a little less broken.

"Okay, I'm ready to go now," Kate announced in a flirtatious voice.

Castle got up and walked over to her, taking her hand in his.

"Your chariot awaits," he said in an old-timey voice.

Kate couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips. He winked at her and they headed out the door.


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: As promised, the baby drama begins… Or as Sharkbait would say, "Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!" But not quite that type of drama ;) You'll have to forgive me if I didn't pick the best restaurant. I'm from Canada, so I had to do my research to find a good NYC restaurant. The one I settled on seems quite popular. **

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed and all those of you still reading this. Well I've said enough for now. I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

**Chapter 10:**

Castle had taken them to Le Bernardin. Kate looked around the restaurant in awe. She had never been inside before. She had never been inside a restaurant even close to the quality of this one. It was elegant and classy. A place Kate would love to go again and again, but she knew she'd never be able to afford such a luxury. For Castle though, a night like this was doable.

Kate didn't even register what the hostess was saying, she was too distracted with looking around. From the paintings on the wall to the furniture, it was all beautiful. Even the patrons were lavish and elegant. Kate felt like she was in a movie. One of those sappy movies she couldn't stand watching. Oddly enough, she loved living it. Castle almost made her want to be sappy and cheesy like those girls in the movies.

Kate was so lost in thought she didn't even notice Castle staring at her with an amused look on his face. He was enjoying seeing her so happy. It wasn't something he got to see everyday and it always warmed his heart to be a part of that happiness. If anyone deserved to be happy, it was Kate.

Suddenly Castle heard someone clearing their throat. He looked up to find the waiter standing at their table giving them a funny look. He wondered how long the guy had been standing there. He felt a little embarrassed to have been caught so distracted. He quickly hid his embarrassment with a smile.

"Good evening, can I get you two something to drink? Champagne perhaps?" the waiter asked politely.

"Oh no, no! We'll just have sparkling water please," Castle said quickly.

The waiter gave them an odd look.

Kate smiled and decided to explain Castle's behaviour. "Sorry about that, the pregnancy has him all wired up," she said jokingly.

The waiter smiled genuinely and congratulated them, then retreated to the kitchen to get them their water. He came back a few minutes later with their water then departed again after they said they still needed time to decide what they were having.

They picked up their menus and looked through them quietly. Kate wasn't surprised to see that it was one that did not display the prices. It was intended to give the menu a look of sophistication, but Kate just felt like it was a tool to get people to spend more money. People tended to buy more food when they didn't know how much it was costing them.

Castle noticed Kate furrowing her brows and shook his head, letting a chuckle escape his lips. She looked up at him questioningly.

"You worry too much," he said simply, reaching across the table to hold her hand in his.

Kate smiled. "I blame my job," she said jokingly.

Castle let out another laugh. The sound of his laughter and the feel of his hand on hers eased Kate's tension.

"So, what looks good?" she asked. Truth be told, she had no idea what to order.

"Hmm," he said, glancing back over the menu. "I hear the duck is good."

Kate made a face. Castle laughed and looked back at the menu, trying to find something more her taste.

"Oh, they have lobster. Have you ever had lobster before?" he asked enthusiastically.

"No, but I hear it's good," she said, considering ordering it.

"I think you'll love it."

"Alright, looks like I'm having lobster. What are you going to have?" she asked him.

"I think I'll have the lobster as well," he replied with a smile, giving her hand a light squeeze.

Just then the waiter came back.

"Perfect timing," Castle said politely.

"I take it you're ready to order," the waiter said with a smile. "What can I get for the two of you this evening?"

"We'll both have the lobster please," Castle ordered for them.

"Alright, your meal will be here shortly. If you need anything don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you," Castle said just before the waiter turned to go.

They chatted idly while they waited for their food. It took about half an hour for their food to arrive, but they didn't mind the wait. They were enjoying each other's company.

Kate was really enjoying her dinner until about midway through when she started feeling queasy. She wasn't sure why. She knew it wasn't morning sickness because she only got sick late at night. Every night for the past few weeks her morning sickness would hit her after midnight. She'd wake up late in the evening to 'make love to the porcelain throne' as they say. She didn't really give the nausea much thought until it was accompanied by dizziness and heat flashes. Now she was starting to get worried. This did not go unnoticed by Castle.

"Sweetheart what's wrong?" he asked worriedly.

"I… I don't… Castle I think I… Need to go to… the hospital," Kate stammered, getting up to rush to the bathroom.

Castle followed behind quickly, knowing where she was headed. He was getting really worried, Kate was never sick before midnight. He didn't know what was wrong, but it was looking rather serious.

Right before she reached the bathroom door, Kate blacked out.


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Wow the response to the last chapter has been amazing. You have no idea how excited that has made me. This chapter turned out to be longer than I had expected it to be, but I like how it turned out I must say. Alright, here's the chapter you've all been waiting for since I left you on a cliffhanger…**

**Chapter 11:**

Castle ran over to Kate, shouting for someone to call an ambulance. The world around him disappeared as he focused in on the love of his life and mother of his child. So many thoughts scrambling through his head. What happened? Was it the baby? Would Kate be alright? Would the baby be alright?

Castle knelt at her side in a blind panic. He was usually so calm in an emergency, but this was no ordinary emergency. There was a lot on the line right now and Castle was having trouble regaining his composure. He knew he had to for the sake of Kate and their unborn child, but it was just so hard. He was so stricken with panic.

Everything within the next hour passed him by in a blur. Everything in him was focused on Kate. He couldn't lose her. He prayed, to the God he wasn't sure he believed in, that everything would be alright. Everything had to be alright.

A part of Castle knew that he was jumping to conclusions and that everything would probably be fine. It was probably just something minor. It was most likely an allergic reaction or some sort of bug. But Castle couldn't bring himself to listen to that part of him. The other part, the irrational part, was screaming at him far too loudly to go unheard.

When they arrived at the hospital Kate was brought through to see a doctor right away. By now she had come to, but she was still too hazy to register what was going on. Everything was passing her in a daze. She just laid back and closed her eyes. Life felt like a dream to her right now. Albeit a very uncomfortable dream.

Castle was left standing in the emergency room, unable to follow Kate beyond the door. He leaned against the wall, knees weak. He slowly slid down the wall and sat on the hospital floor. He ran his hands through his hair then rested his head back against the wall. He so desperately wanted to be with Kate. He wanted, no make that needed to know what was going on.

Sitting there alone, Castle started to cry. Sometimes even the bravest of men need to cry. If there was ever a time for Castle to cry, this was it. He had no idea what was going on. He felt so helpless. He wanted to be there for Kate, help her, but he couldn't. He hated being stuck out here while she was god only knew where.

Fifteen minutes later a nurse came up to him. She had noticed him sitting there for some time now and couldn't ignore her urge to see if she could help any longer. She approached him, tentatively extending a hand to rest on his shoulder. She knelt down in front of him and he looked up at her blankly.

"Is there something I can do for you sir? Can I get you something to eat or drink? Are you waiting for someone?" she started to ramble off questions, feeling a little nervous that she was overstepping her grounds.

Castle just looked at her, unable to respond. Suddenly the nurse realized who he was. He was the man who came in a little while ago with the woman who was unconscious. Now she understood.

She looked at him sympathetically and said, "Here, let's get you over to the waiting room. You'll be more comfortable there. And the doctor will be able to come get you as soon as they know what's wrong with your wife."

She stood up and extended a hand to him, offering to help him up. He tentatively accepted her offer, grabbing her hand and lifting himself up. He never felt heavier. Fear was a weighty beast. He couldn't even be bothered to correct her about the wife comment. Not that he minded.

Castle sat in the waiting room for what felt like years before the doctor finally came out to tell him what was going on. He stood up right away.

Castle didn't give the doctor a chance to talk before he started bombarding her with questions, "Is Kate okay? What happened? Will the baby be alright? Is it serious?"

The doctor reached a hand out to touch his arm in the hopes of calming him down. She was never going to get a word in edge wise until he had calmed down a little.

"Sir, take a deep breath. Everything's going to be alright. There are some minor complications with the pregnancy, but nothing severe. Come with me, I'll take you in to see her now. I'll explain more when you're both together," the doctor said calmly.

Castle breathed a sigh of relief. He was still nervous because there was in fact something wrong. But he could now breathe again, knowing it wasn't lethal. Everyone was going to be fine. This was a problem they could deal with. Whatever it was, they would get through it together.

Kate was left laying on the hospital bed, alone in the small room. Her eyes drifting closed every now and then. She was exhausted and groggy. She still wasn't sure what was going on, but she knew she was at the hospital. She was started to remember what happened at the restaurant. She could remember feeling sick and rushing towards the bathroom, but that's as far as she could remember. She figured she must have blacked out because next thing she knew she was laying down on a gurney, being pushed through doors.

Kate was starting to worry. She had no idea what was wrong with her. She didn't know if she had lost the baby. Suddenly she was filled with panic. What if she had lost the baby? Would Castle still want her? Would they be able to make it through this? Would she be able to make it through this. A tear ran down Kate's face as she started imagining the worst case scenario.

That's when Castle and the doctor walked into the room. Castle took one look at Kate, looking fragile and devastated, and he rushed to her side to hold her. He hated seeing her like this. He wanted so badly to take away her pain. Castle sat on the edge of her bed so he could better wrap his arms around her. Kate curled up to him, seeking comfort in his embrace.

The doctor gave them a moment before speaking, "Mrs. Beckett, my name is Doctor Porter. I'll be looking after you for the next few days. We ran some tests and did an ultrasound to determine what was wrong. There is a minor problem with the baby."

Kate looked at her, fear in her eyes. "It's nothing serious. The baby will be okay Mrs. Beckett," the doctor added quickly.

Kate and Castle both let out a sigh of relief. Even though Castle knew this already, it was always nice to be reassured.

"What's wrong with our baby?" Kate asked in a small voice.

Castle kissed the top of her head affectionately. Kate snuggled in closer to him and grabbed his hand, glad to not be going through this alone.

"The baby is developing a little slower than we would like. The fetus is smaller than is customary at ten weeks and has a slightly irregular heartbeat," she explained.

"We've been going to the gynecologist regularly though. Shouldn't they have noticed the problem?" Castle asked.

"A lot of the time these irregularities go unnoticed when they're not being looked for directly. The differences are often too subtle to pick up on. In most cases the patient is unaware of the problem unless something happens to alert them to it," she continued.

"Like fainting at dinner," Kate said cynically.

"Yes. As I said before, this problem is nothing to worry too much about. Your doctor will keep a close eye on the fetal development now and will be able to give medication if required. As long as you continue to go to your regular appointments and go in if there are any changes in your health, you and your baby should be fine," the doctor said reassuringly.

Kate was eternally grateful for this news. Everything was going to be okay. Their little miracle was going to make it through this. He or she was a Castle and a Beckett, Castles and Becketts always overcame adversity. They would get through this.

The doctor left them and said she would be back to check on Kate later. They would be keeping her at the hospital for observation for the next day or two, just to be on the safe side.

Castle pulled Kate closer to him and they sat there in silence for a few minutes.

"So much for our romantic evening," Kate said jokingly.

Castle laughed, easing the tension of them both. "I should have known better than to expect things to go exactly as planned," he said smiling down at her.

Now it was Kate's turn to laugh. She knew he was right, things never went according to plan when it came to their relationship. The pregnancy alone proved that fact. It may have been unexpected, but it was not once regretted. They both saw this pregnancy as a blessing. They were ready for this, they just hadn't known it until fate stepped in and gave them that extra little push.


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: I was going to make this chapter longer, but I really wanted to update this while I had the time. Sorry about the delayed update. I could sit here and give a list of excuses, but none of you are here to read about the death in my family or school… Well you've waited long enough, I won't prolong this any further. Thanks again for all the reviews.**

**Chapter 12:**

That night Castle found himself resting on a hard hospital chair watching Kate sleep. She looked so calm and peaceful. All of her worries and stresses drifted away when she was asleep. It was nice to see. It left Castle feeling pretty carefree himself.

Castle's mind slowly started to drift. He started replaying the conversation with Martha and Jim a few weeks ago when they told them both that Kate was pregnant. They both had similar reactions to the news, which was rather amusing considering they had a tendency to disagree on everything in life.

Both had been shocked at first, neither had been expecting this. Not that they could blame their parents for this reaction, the pregnancy was a surprise. That's what they were calling it, a surprise. They were not going to let their baby grow up to believe he or she was an accident. Their baby was no accident.

After the initial shock of the news, both parents were thrilled about it. Martha spent the entire evening gushing about how amazing babies and being a mother were. She was already making plans of things to get for the baby and places she would take the baby. She even made a list of places to take Kate. She was preparing herself to be "the best grandma ever". Castle had to admit, it was pretty heartwarming to see his mother so excited about being a grandmother again. He hadn't seen her this excited since she found out about Alexis. He knew she was missing having her grandbaby around. It seemed near impossible, but he was pretty sure he missed Alexis more.

Jim was taking the news surprisingly well. Kate had expected him to be worried about her and raising a child in this lifestyle, but he was too happy for his daughter to waste time on petty concerns. He knew she could handle this and he had a feeling she would be a great mother. He said he always knew she had it in her. Castle had never seen Kate look so relieved. He knew her father's opinion meant a lot to her.

Overall, Castle and Kate had been very pleased with the way the evening had played out. They now kept in touch with their parents regularly, keeping them updated on the baby and their lives in general. Martha had moved out to give Castle and Kate the privacy of their own home, but she still came over nearly every day. She could always find time in her day to come over and coo about the baby.

Alexis had also taken the news exceptionally well. She promised to be around as often as she could and to babysit her baby brother or sister whenever they needed her. She was excited to be a big sister. She had always wanted siblings, but by now she had all but given up hope. Kate's pregnancy was a pleasant surprise. When Castle had told her about his plans to propose to Kate, Alexis had been thrilled. She had given him the biggest bear hug of his life and gave him ideas on romantic ways to propose, most of which she stole from movies. Alexis had always thought of Kate as a quasi-mother figure. Soon, she would have a stepmom. She was proud of her father.

After a while Castle's mind started to wander again. This time he was thinking about how tonight was supposed to play out. They were supposed to have a romantic evening together and he was going to propose as they took a carriage ride through Central Park, but of course things had not gone according to plan. Instead of the romantic evening Castle had planned, the night had turned into a nightmare. He had spent most of the evening worrying he might lose Kate or the baby. It hurt to relive the events of this evening. He never wanted to feel that way again. They were both so grateful to hear that it wasn't anything life threatening. They could deal with this. He wasn't going to let anything happen to the people he loved.

Castle was eventually able to fall asleep. He fell asleep to thoughts of the future. Thoughts of Kate and the baby. Picturing being married and continuing his family. Castle was very content with his life at the moment.

Kate awoke to sunlight beaming in from the small window in her hospital room. Groaning, she covered her eyes with an arm, protecting them from the offending brightness. She wasn't a fan of being blinded first thing in the morning.

She stayed like this for a few minutes until she finally relented and exposed her precious orbs to the sunlight. After giving them time to adjust, she turned her head to look over at Castle who was still sound asleep. She didn't understand how he could sleep on that chair. It looked agonizingly uncomfortable. Kate smiled realizing he was doing this for her.

Castle shifted and opened his eyes slowly, groaning at the brightness just as Kate had. Kate giggled softly, making Castle glance over at her with a dubious look in his eyes.

"Morning Sunshine," Kate said mockingly.

Castle couldn't help the smile that crept onto his face. "Good morning beautiful, how you feeling?" he asked.

Kate looked down at her baby bump, placing a hand on her stomach as she replied, "I'm feeling a lot better."

Castle slid his chair closer to the bed so he could place a hand on Kate's stomach as well. They sat quietly for several minutes, enjoying the moment. That was until a chipper nurse came in, pulling them back to reality.

"Good morning Mrs. Beckett, how are you feeling today? Any nausea or dizziness?" the nurse asked.

They discussed Kate and the baby's health for fifteen minutes or so then the nurse left, promising Kate would be released later today or tomorrow morning at the latest. They were glad to hear everything was going good once again. The doctor wasn't expecting Kate to have any other complications like she did last night as long as they had Kate's gynecologist keep a close eye on the baby at her regular appointments. He prescribed Kate some mild medication just to be safe.


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: I will warn you all now that this chapter is one of my fluffiest thus far, but it kind of has to be… I won't say anymore ;) **

**Chapter 13**

As Castle sat on the uncomfortable hospital chair watching Kate sleeping peacefully, he realized that it didn't matter where he proposed, all that mattered was what he said. He knew exactly what he wanted to say to Kate and he didn't want to wait anymore. He wanted to tell Kate how he felt, he wanted her to be his fiancé. He wanted Kate's hand in marriage more than anything in the world. He had even gone so far as to ask her dad for permission, which was no easy task. Castle would be the first to tell you just how intimidating Kate's father could be, but he wanted to do this right.

Now all he needed was the right moment, but there would never be a perfect moment. Life didn't give perfect moments. Castle decided that he would pop the question when Kate woke up, not wanting to risk any further distractions. He couldn't take having to put this off again. He wasn't going to let anything get in the way this time.

Castle didn't have to wait long for Kate to wake up. Less than thirty minutes after Castle's silent decision, Kate awoke. His palms were getting sweaty and his nerves were starting to get the better of him. This was it, the moment of truth. The moment that had the potential to make or break him. He took a deep breath, stood up from the chair and got down on one knee before Kate, taking her hand in his.

Kate knew what was coming and she couldn't help feeling a little nervous herself. Although she was far more excited than nervous. Every girl dreamed of getting married to the man of their dreams, and soon this would be a reality for Kate. If someone had told her a few years ago that her life would turn out this magnificent, she would have probably slapped the person for telling such a cruel lie. Kate never expected good things to happen to her, so every moment with Castle was a shocking blessing. Kate loved the man kneeling before her more than she ever thought possible. Her dreams were finally coming true. Castle was about to propose. A little voice inside of Kate squealed.

Kate looked at Castle lovingly, waiting for those precious words to come out of his mouth. Anticipation nearly taking over her.

"Kate Houghton Beckett, I have fallen eternally, irrationally, and irrevocably in love with you. I can't imagine my life without you in it. A life without you just wouldn't be worth living. I want to wake up next to you every morning for the rest of my life. I want to be there to see you smile and I want to be the one to wipe away your tears whenever they may fall. I don't want to spend one minute without you. You're my sun, my moon, my reason for living. Kate, you're my everything. I cannot think of anything I would want more than to be able to call you my wife. Kate Beckett, will you marry me?"

Castle pulled out a beautiful engagement ring and presented it to her.

Kate couldn't help the tears that escaped her eyes at Castle's heartfelt proposal. She had never heard anything more beautiful. She had never felt so loved.

"Yes, of course I will!" Kate exclaimed.

Castle slid the ring onto her finger and took Kate into his arms and kissed her passionately.

"I'm the luckiest man in the world," he said with a smile, leaning in to kiss her again.

"I love you Castle."

"I love you too beautiful."

They spent the rest of the day swooning over each other and enjoying their newfound bubble of bliss. They knew it wouldn't last long, so they wanted to get the most out of it while they could.

Kate was released later that day and she and Castle had gone on a romantic date, free of interruptions. After their date they had decided to go home and spend the evening relaxing and enjoying each other's company.

They sat on the couch later that evening watching a romantic movie together, Kate tucked comfortably under Castle's arm.

Kate wasn't one for sappy movies, but today she felt compelled to make an exception. Truth be told the movie wasn't so bad. Sure, it was a little too cheesy and lovey-dovey for Kate's taste, but it was a nice change from the violence of their everyday life. Kate was able to get lost in the story and even make a connection to the lead character. The best part of the evening though was getting to spend it alone with her fiancé.

She still couldn't quite believe she had a fiancé. Her life seemed so surreal lately. First there was the pregnancy, now she was engaged. Kate felt like she could easily be knocked over by a feather right now.

But of course, like all good things in her life, the moment didn't last long. Halfway through the movie her cell phone rang. It was the precinct. The cops had just apprehended a suspect and Kate and Castle had to go in to interrogate him. What a way to spend an evening.

They stopped their movie, got changed, and headed out the door to the station, hoping to be back soon enough and not spoil the entire evening.

**AN: I know it's pretty short, but I didn't want to take any focus away from the proposal. I apologize for any excess mushy moments, hopefully you didn't find it too bad.**


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: Well, it's pretty short, but I really wanted to update this while I had some free time. I'm sorry about the long wait. I can't promise updates will be frequent as I am still busy with school. By the end of June I should be able to update more frequently. Thank you to everyone who has stuck it out and waited patiently for this long overdue update. I know it's not my best, but it was a necessary transitional chapter. Enjoy.**

**Chapter 14:**

By the time they get to the precinct everyone else is already there, including Gates. Kate groaned internally, knowing she still had to talk to Gates about the pregnancy and her impending maternity leave. Castle seemed to sense her unease, turning his head slightly to steal a glance at her. Kate smiled reassuringly and they headed into the interrogation room.

The interrogation took about an hour and by the end things were getting out of hand. The suspect was antagonizing Kate and she wasn't having any of it. Kate wasn't known for playing 'good cop', but hormonal Kate was a new situation entirely. By the time Ryan and Esposito stepped in and took over, she had the suspect pinned against the two-way mirror, holding him by the throat.

Castle knew better than to interfere with the situation, so he merely stepped back and exited the room calmly when Ryan and Esposito entered. Kate came storming out shortly after.

Castle let out an exasperated sigh. _I'm in for a long night_, he thought to himself. Kate headed to her desk and flopped down onto her chair to calm down. Castle approached slowly and sat hesitantly on the corner of her desk, unsure of what to do. _Wow, you don't even know how to comfort your own fiancé, _he thought cynically.

Kate looked up at him when he sat down, not saying anything, but visibly calming. Castle seemed to have that affect on her lately. She smiled at him easily.

He gave her a curious look. "What?" he asked softly.

Her smile grew. "Just thinking about the effect you have on me," she said lovingly.

"A good effect I hope," he said with a chuckle.

"Of course," she replied, leaning in to kiss him.

Just then Ryan and Esposito enter the room.

"Get a room you two," Esposito says jokingly.

They all burst into laughter, finally easing the tension that had been building up since the case started.

"So, is he the guy?" Castle asked.

Ryan nodded, "Yep, he's our guy, and he's being carted off to prison now."

Kate sighed, "I'm glad this is finally over."

They all mhmm'ed their agreement.

They sat around talking for a while until Ryan decided it was time he head home and get some rest. Esposito followed closely behind. Kate and Castle were now left sitting alone.

"Well, I guess we should go talk to Gates before she leaves and we miss our chance," Kate said begrudgingly.

"Yeah," Castle sighed. "So, how long do you think she'll yell?"

Kate laughed and replied, "Let's just say I hope you didn't have any plans of sleeping tonight."

With that they headed off towards the dungeon, also known as Gates' office.

Kate knocked at her door firmly.

The muffled reply of "come in" came a few moments later.

"Sir," Kate said with a nod.

"Detective Beckett. Mr. Castle. What can I do for you both?" she asked sternly.

Castle fidgeted, he never did well under the captain's scrutiny.

"May we sit down?" Kate asked politely.

Gates motioned towards the two chair in front of her desk in reply.

"Sir, there's something we need to tell you."

"I gathered that Beckett. Now please get on with it, I haven't got all night."

Kate cringed internally, this wasn't good. Gates was already annoyed and she hadn't even started telling her what was going on.

Castle sat there silently, at a loss for words for once. Kate didn't know whether she should count her blessings or feel annoyed.

"Well Sir, Castle and I," Kate reached out for Castle's hand as she continued, "We're engaged."

Gates let out a hearty chuckle. Kate and Castle exchanged bewildered glances as they waited for her to explain her reaction.

After Gates' laughter had subsided she said, "Is that all? Everyone has seen that coming for months." She paused and gave the two of them some further consideration and came to the conclusion, "If you two are sitting here looking this nervous there must be something more, so let's hear it…"

Kate decided there was no sense in beating around the bush, it would only annoy Gates.

"There is…" She paused and took a deep breath before elaborating, "I'm pregnant."

There she'd said it. No matter what happened next, she said it. The truth was finally out there. She had Castle by her side, Kate could face the firing squad Gates was sure to release. Kate grabbed Castle's hand and squeezed it for strength. Castle squeezed back gently.

Gates' jawed dropped and she fell silent for a few agonizingly long minutes before finally replying, "Well, I can honestly say this news came as a surprise."

Kate looked down in surrender before looking up hesitantly and saying, "I know Sir. It came as a surprise to us as well."

Castle nodded his agreement.

Gates smiled at them both, shocking them once again. Was she actually taking this well? Gates… The woman who insisted she be referred to as 'sir', was taking the news _well_.

"Congratulations," she said enthusiastically, extending her hand to shake theirs in turn.

"Thank you," Kate said with an excited smile.

"How far along are you?" she asked.

"About five months."

Gates nodded and thought about this for a few moments. "I guess that means you'll be going on maternity leave within a few months," she said casually.

"Yes. I will try to stick it out as long as I can though Sir," Kate replied quickly.

Gates waved this off saying, "Nonsense. There's no need to put your health or the baby's in danger. The job will still be here when you get back. I've never had a detective leave for maternity leave, so we'll take this day by day. When you feel the job is becoming too strenuous on you, you let me know. Okay?"

They nodded simultaneously.

"Alright, if that's it, I'm heading home. I have a bed with my name on it," she said with a grin.

Kate couldn't get over how different Gates was acting. She knew she'd be thinking about this for the next few weeks. It was the detective in her.

For now though, it was time to head back to the apartment. They'd had a long day and Kate was exhausted.


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: Well guys, this is it. I hadn't originally been planning to end the story just yet, but things just seemed to work out this way. I apologize for the long wait for an update, writer's block and exams are a terrible combination. Thank you all for sticking with me on this journey. I hope you've enjoyed the story.**

**Chapter 15:**

The following months passed by smoothly. Kate slowly eased her way away from work, spending the last couple of months of her pregnancy doing steady desk work. She had wanted to keep working up until the baby came, and that's just what she did.

The remainder of her pregnancy had gone by without a hitch. Kate and Castle went to their regular appointments and the baby had continued to progress well.

Over the months the couple only continued to grow closer, spending virtually all of their time together. Together they had ironed out all of the wedding plans and the date was set for next summer, Kate had always dreamt of a summer wedding. They were going to get married on the beach, which was actually Castle's idea. They had found a way to reach a compromise on every detail, each inevitably getting what they wanted.

Kate's pregnancy had gone to full term and she gave birth to a healthy eight pound bundle of joy. They had decided to name their beautiful baby girl Johanna, after Kate's mother. Kate had broken down into tears of absolute joy when Castle has suggested it. He had been planning to name the baby after her mother, if it was a girl, all along, he just hadn't told Kate. He wanted it to be a surprise. He knew how much that moment meant to Kate and he would be forever grateful that he had been a part of it.

Now that the baby was here, Kate had finally taken her maternity leave and Castle had decided to cut back on work so he could spend more time with his family.

Alexis came by every weekend to see her baby sister. Martha was over nearly every day, always offering up her advice, welcome or not, and her services as a babysitter. She was definitely a proud grandma, not that there was ever any doubt. The woman had been a godsend with Alexis after all. Castle didn't know what he would do without his mother, and quite honestly Kate didn't know what she'd do without Martha either. Kate had grown to think of Martha as her mother and had even asked her to be in the wedding, which she had gladly accepted.

The hardest wedding decision had been who to make her maid of honour. She had decided that Alexis was who she wanted to fill that special position at their wedding. Lanie and Martha were going to be her bridesmaids.

Ryan and Esposito were of course Castle's groomsmen. Castle had actually went and asked Jim, Kate's father, with her permission of course, to be his best man. Jim had been shocked to tears by Castle's gesture. He had gladly accepted. He was now spending about as much time with them as Martha. He and Martha were growing surprisingly close, something neither Castle nor Kate were entirely comfortable with.

Life was finally going smoothly and according to plan. They couldn't wait to see what the future has in store for them. One thing they knew for sure, no matter what happened, they were in it together.


End file.
